Japandroids - 'Celebration Rock'

Album Info

Release Date: June 4, 2012

Producer: Japandroids

Label: Polyvinyl

Fact: The band are known for their 'energetic' live performances

6 / 10
Funny sort of party, this ‘Celebration Rock’. The second album from noise-punk duo Japandroids (you have no idea how much we wanted to type No Age then) works every straining sinew to convince you what enormous fun you must be having in its company, but still winds up striking a curiously sour note. First they’re telling us “Don’t we have anything to live for? Well of course we do/But until it comes true, we’re drinking” (‘The Nights Of Wine And Roses’), then they’re all “You’re not mine to die for anymore, so I must live” on the Replacements-do-‘Born In The USA’ rawk of ‘The House That Heaven Built’. The latter merits a sweaty air-punch in alt.bro solidarity, and Lord knows, Japandroids know how to bring the ruckus. But elsewhere the power-chord pummelage gets a bit one-note — and the Gun Club cover only reminds us that journeymen like these have no business dancing with the bones of Jeffrey Lee Pierce. Alex Denney